The present invention relates to an electrophotographic copying machine and, more particularly, to an automatic duplex electrophotographic copying machine.
An electrophotographic copying machine produces on a photoreceptor an electrostatic latent image corresponding to an image on a document such as a manuscript or book to be copied. Toner particles are electrostatically adhered to the latent image, so that the latent image becomes visible as a toner image. The toner image on the photoreceptor is transferred onto a copy paper via a transference charger. The remaining toner particles and charges on the photorerceptor after the transfer are removed for the next copying operation.
There is present an improved electrophotographic copying machine of the type which can copy the images on two sheets of documents onto both sides of one or more copy papers, which is referred to herein as a "duplex copying machine". In such a machine, after a single side of the copy paper has been copied, the copy paper is turned over to transport it toward the toner image transfer portion, so that the next image is copied onto the other or reverse side of the single-side copied copy paper.
Conventionally, a complex assembly is needed to receive the single-side copied copy paper and forward it toward the toner image transfer portion, again. Therefore, it is desired to provide an improved automatic duplex copying machine.